Machine for loading and discharging containers



Sept. 22, 1942. H. B. THOMPSON 296,302y MACHINE FOR LOADING ANDDISCHARGING CONTAINERS Orgil'lal Filed June 18, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet lSept.v 22, 1942- H. B. THOMPSON MACHINE FOR LOADING AND DISCHARGINGCONTAIERS Criginal Filed June 18, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR/ff/v/Pr MOM/@50N ATTORN YS Hllll Patented Sept. 22, 1942 MACHINE FORLOADING AND DISCHARG- ING CONTAINERS Henry B. Thompson, Jenkintown, Pa.,assignor to Peter Paul, Inc., Naugatuck, Conn., a corporation ofDelaware Original application June 18, 1938, Serial No.

214,470. Divided and this application December 6, 1940, Serial No.368,961

1 Claim.

This invention relates to machines for loading and dischargingcontainers.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No.214,470, filed June 18, 1938, now Patent No. 2,228,932, issued January14, 1941, which discloses means for making open boxes for receivingarticles, such as caramels. The present application covers the loadingmechanism for loading the boxes. The invention has for its salientobject to provide simple, practical and efficient mechanism for feedingarticles, such as caramels, into open boxes and for preventing reboundof the articles as the feeding mechanism is retracted.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple, practical andefficient means for discharging the loaded boxes from the machine.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the followingspecification taken in connection with the drawings which form a part ofs this application, and in which Fig. l is a top plan view of a portionof the Vreceptacle feeding conveyor and parts associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the filled or loaded boxes;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the structure shown inFig. 1 showing the receptacle feeding chain and plungers which push theblank through the folding mechanism, fill the receptacles and dischargethe receptacles from the machine;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional elevation taken substantiallyon line 4--4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional elevation taken substantiallyon line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated there is shownin Fig. 1 receptacle feeding mechanism comprising a pair of feed chains42 and 43. The chains 42 and 43 are driven in any suitable manner andare maintained in parallel relation by means of idler sprockets |56` and|58 which guide the'chain 42 and |55 and |58 which guide the chain 43.The sprocket wheels are adjustably mounted in slots |51 and |59 so thatthe distance between the parallel lengths of chains can be adjusted.

Each of the chains 42, 43 has secured to its links a plurality of blocks|63 and each block has a plate or web |64 formed thereon. The blocks andwebs are so relatively located on the two chains that a web |64 on onechain will be disposed opposite a web |64 on the other chain and the twoadjacent webs on one chain will form with the two adjacent webs on theother chain a rectangular enclosure or pocket for receiving the foldedreceptacles, as shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 3 there is shown a forming block |26 which receives a blank andthrough which the blank is forced downwardly into one of the receptaclesformed in the receptacle feeding mechanism by means of a plunger |30carried by a rod or post |3| slidably mounted in the guide or frame |32.The frame |32 is carried by a vertical frame |33.

The upper end of the rod |3| is connected by a link |34 to an arm |35which is carried by a shaft |36 mounted to oscillate in the frame |33.Shaft |36 also has mounted thereon a gear |31 which meshes with a gear|38 carried by a shaft |39 also rotatably mounted in the frame |33. Theshaft |36 may be oscillated in any suitable manner, the drivingconnections being vfully illustrated in the parent applicationhereinbefore referred to.

As the gear |31 is oscillated the shaft |36 will also be oscillated,thus actuating the arm |35 to raise and lower the plunger |30.

Shaft |39 has secured thereto an arm which is connected by a link |46 toa cross head or bar |41. This bar has secured thereto and extendingdownwardly therefrom three vertical posts |46, |49 and |50, the purposeof which will be hereinafter described.

It will be understood that` the chains 42 and 43 as they move aroundtheir paths are disposed with the webs |64 adjacent the upper surface ofthe bed plate of the machine `so that the receptacles will be presseddownwardly into the feeding chains and will be supported by the bedplate during the feeding movement thereof.

As the blanks are pushed into the feeding chain the end flaps G havingared ends 93 will be disposed in the position shown at the right in Fig.3 or extending upwardly from the open upper ends of the receptacle.These end flaps are folded downwardly by engagement with inclined edges|61of plates |65 and |66 which are mounted above the parallel flaps ofthe chains 42 and 43. When the feeding chains have advanced thereceptacles to the position shown at R in Figs. 1 and 3, the flaps Gwill be engaged by bifurcated ends |10 of a yoke mounted at the lowerend of the post |50 and will be folded downwardly into the receptacle.

After the completion of the folding of the end aps of the receptaclesthe receptacles move successively to the position indicated on Figs. 1and 3 at S in which the receptacles are loaded.

l l l The articles to be loaded are fed along a chute |15 (see Fig. 5)having an end Wall |16 at the discharge end thereof. The chute has anopening |11 in the bottom thereof at the discharge end of the chute andhas hinged plates |18 and |19 which are pivoted at |88 and partiallybridge the opening |11. These plates are spring pressed in an upwarddirection by springs ISI and are limited in their upward movement by theengagement of their upper surfaces with the lower edges of the sidewalls of the chute.

Thus, the articles, which in this embodiment of the invention areillustrated as caramels, disposed above the opening |11 will besupported by the hinged plates |18 and |19 until they are forceddownwardly and discharged into the receptacle disposed therebelow. Thechute has secured to the bottom surface thereof and extending below theunder surface rollers |82 and |83 which engage the outer surface of theend caramels of the load after the caramels are fed downwardly and guidethem into the receptacle during the downward feeding movement.

Each load of caramels is discharged into a receptacle by means of aplunger |85 having an upwardly extending flange |85 at one end thereof,the outer surface of which engages the advano@ end of the carameldisposed in the rear of the last caramel fed downwardly.

The plunger |85 is carried by a rod |81 which is slidably mounted in thepost or sleeve |48 carried by the cross hea-d or bar |411. The upper endof the rod |81 is engaged by a spring |90 disposed in the yoke |89 andheld under the desired compression by a threaded sleeve |9| which isthreaded into the top |92 of the yoke and is locked in adjusted positionby a lock nut |93, The spring surrounds a rod |85 which is threaded intothe sleeve I9 I.

The relative movement between the rod I 81 and the post or sleeve |48 islimited by a pin and slot connection consisting of a pin |98 whichextends through the rod and into the slot |91 in the sleeve.

The object of the resilient connection between the rod |81 and sleeve|48 is to provide a resilient pressure downwardly on the caramels beingdischarged from the chute into the receptacle and to prevent a reboundas the plunger |85 leaves the upper surface of the loaded caramels onthe return movement. By means of this resilient connection a slightdwell is provided on the return movement of the post or rod |81.

After the caramels or other articles have been loaded into thereceptacle at the position S, the feeding chains move to the nextposition of movement indicated at T in which position the loadedreceptacle is disposed beneath the lower end of a plunger |98 carried bythe lower end of the rod or post |49. The loaded receptacle is thendischarged downwardly into the discharge chute |99.

In order to provide a slight friction on the loaded receptacle after itreaches the position 'I' and to prevent its dropping by gravity into thedischarge chute, a spring pressed plunger 280 is slidably mounted in aguideway 28| and is resiliently actuated by a spring 282 to engage thefront wall of the loaded receptacle disposed by the position T. Thespring 282 can be adjusted to any desired tension by an adjustment shownat 203.

From the foregoing specification it will be seen that simple, practicaland efficient mechanism has been provided for loading and dischargingreceptacles.

Although certain specific embodiments of the invention have beenparticularly shown and described, it will be understood that theinvention is capable of modification and that changes in theconstruction and in the arrangement of the various cooperating parts maybe made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, asexpressed in the following claim,

What I claim is:

In combination, a support for receptacles to be loaded, means forintermittently feeding the receptacles along said support, meansdisposed above one position of feeding movement of said receptacles forfeeding articles into the receptacle sopositioned, means disposeda'bovethe next suc- Cessive position of feeding movement for discharging theloaded receptacle from said receptacle support and feeding means, saidsupport having an opening through which the loaded receptacle isdischarged, and means for releasably holding the loaded receptacle abovesaid opening prior to the discharging operation.

HENRY B. THOMPSON.

